MLB: Will we ever see a pitcher like Greg Maddux or Tim Wakefield again?

Throughout MLB history, the new generation has brought change to the game. Sometimes the change is good, and other times it is bad.

The way the game has changed with the current generation is a great difference from the past generation of players. From pitchers like Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Tim Wakefield, and Roy Halladay, to Jacob DeGrom, Max Scherzer, Gerrit Cole, and Emmanuel Clase, the style of pitching has changed. But it makes you wonder; will we ever see another pitcher like Greg Maddux or Tim Wakefield again?

MLB pitchers have drastically changed in the past generation

Today’s pitching dominance is classified more by strikeouts than innings pitched. Jacob DeGrom, arguably the best pitcher in the game right now, is averaging 13.1 SO/9IP. Max Scherzer is averaging 10.8 SO/9IP. However, despite both pitchers dominating the league, they rarely throw complete games.

Even though both pitchers are future Hall of Famers, there is no feeling like watching a dominant pitcher consistently throw complete games. Greg Maddux was one of those pitchers. Maddux was one of those control pitchers that got batters out without constantly striking batters out. In his 23-year career, Maddux averaged just 6.1 SO/9IP, significantly lower than Scherzer and DeGrom.

However, due to the low strikeouts, he was able to keep his pitch count low, ending his career with a whopping 109 complete games, averaging five complete games a season. No pitcher in baseball is even close to that. Currently, Adam Wainwright, who is in his 17th season, has the most complete games with 28. The best pitcher in baseball, DeGrom is at four.

Now complete games don’t necessarily determine how great a pitcher is. DeGrom and Scherzer are still elite pitchers, but with the way the pitching style has changed, from throwing 100+ MPH and way more strikeouts than ever before, will there ever be another pitcher to get anywhere close to Maddux’s complete game total?

Another pitcher, who is severely underrated, showed utter dominance at times in his 17 years in MLB. Tim Wakefield may have had a high ERA, with a career average of 4.41, is definitely not a Hall of Famer, however, his knuckleball fooled hitters left and right.

Today, no current pitcher throws a knuckleball. The dying pitch, if thrown correctly, was nearly unhittable. Not only did Wakefield throw a knuckleball, but his fastball was something that we probably will never see again. His fastball averaged just 71-75 MPH. Today, pitchers are throwing 100. But with a knuckleball and curveball being pitched at 60 MPH, his fastball definitely threw hitters off-guard.

As generations come and go, new styles of play occur. The 20th century had all the great stolen base legends, Ricky Henderson, Lou Brock, and Kenny Lofton. Moving into the 21st century, there were still some players who made a career on steals, such as Carl Crawford, Chone Figgins, and Jose Reyes, however now, only three players are at 30 or more steals. The game of speed has changed. Just like how the games are longer than ever, everything is changing.

So, will we ever see another pitcher like Greg Maddux, who gets complete games after complete games? Or will we ever see another knuckleball pitcher make batters look completely lost at the plate? Personally, I think we have a better chance to see a knuckleball pitcher than a pitcher getting anywhere close to Wainwright’s 28 complete games.